Cuisine

The rich harmony of nature and beauty

In 2013, Japanese food was included on the list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritages as,
“Washoku, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese”.
A characteristic of this food is the tradition of respecting the nature of Japan,
a land with distinct seasons and plentiful nature. Japanese food culture is closely linked with nature,
integrating the wisdom of ancestors, the skill of craftsmen, and a delicate sense of beauty.

The 5 Wisdoms

Before the concept of “health food”, Japanese people created a balanced diet by combining the five tastes (sour, bitter, sweet, spicy, salty), the five methods (raw, grilled, boiled, steamed, fried), and five colors (red, green, yellow, white, black) of food. In this way, healthy traditional Japanese food is wisdom from our ancestors.

Hidden Skills

There are many food preparation skills for traditional Japanese food, such as kakushi-aji (a profound flavor added to the taste) and kakushi-bocho (cutting food with cuts that cannot be seen, but make the food easier to eat). These skills are a type of art that requires time and skill, but is never seen. Simple, delicious food that utilizes the ingredients is a result of advanced food preparation skills.

Partake in Beauty

A beautiful shape is sought after even with each hand-rolled sushi. During a single meal, many dishes of varying size are used.Seasonal flowers added for decoration, vegetables shaped into cranes, ducks, or other lucky shapes, finely cut ingredients.This unique Japanese sense of holding beauty even in the food and dishes continues to refine and improve Japanese food today.